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After a run down of memorable bunny costumes through the years via a catwalk-style show - complete with podiums for the bunnies to do their turns, of course - the bespoke Marchesa bunny made her grand entrance. Decked in what can only be described as a "couture corset", intricately embellished with beading, embroidered lace and a chic peplum, the Marchesa bunny drew wolf-whistles from the supportive crowd.

But the collars and cuffs, and most importantly the cotton-tail, were not white, as is tradition, but black.

"We thoughT it was nice to keep it all black," Georgina Chapman, Marchesa's glamorous co-founder and designer told us last night. "We kind of wanted keep the Marchesa aesthetic but stay true to Playboy; so you've got the lace and the corsetry… it was a lot of fun."

Famous for dressing stars such as Rihanna, Blake Lively, Naomi Campbell and Penelope Cruz in their fairytale-esque creations, the British design duo behind the label couldn't resist the opportunity to make over the Playboy bunny in Marchesa.

"I think it's such an iconic outfit that it was just really fun to do something with that in mind; we didn't really want to change the design all that much" said fellow co-founder and designer, Keren Craig.

But while the bunnies strutted their stuff and drinks costing an eye-watering sum of up to £2000 flowed on demand, what did Georgina and Keren think of the placard-waving protesters outside the venue, claiming that women dressing up as bunnies is not empowering?

The two finish and start each other's sentences when they say: "What is wrong with celebrating women? I think it celebrates the female form. The women in here are pretty empowered. Take Debbie Harry (a former Playboy Bunny) she's an incredible woman and an icon, and she's had a fabulous career."

"It would be more repressive to tell women they can't dress a certain way and the can't do certain things," they add.

But the photogenic pair revealed how they weren't tempted to model their own creation.

"Maybe fifteen years ago!" laughs Chapman, who used to be a model.

Marchesa's one-off Bunny costume will be auctioned in October to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness.